DETERMINING COTTON FIBER MATURITY BY IMAGE-ANALYSIS .1. DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF COTTON FIBER CHARACTERISTICS

Image analysis presents a quick, reliable, unbiased technique for determining cotton fiber maturity. This research entails developing sampling techniques for cotton fiber cross sections and creating a computer program to measure fiber characteristics directly by image analysis. A 10 minute (approximate) fiber/resin embedding procedure was developed for microscopic slide preparation. Direct measurements of cotton fiber cross-sectional characteristics were collected by the program created for the image system. Wall thickness, ribbon width (cross-sectional diameter), maturity factor, maturity ratio (maturity), and degree of thickening were derived from the measured fiber characteristics. Direct determination of cotton fiber maturity by image analysis as performed in this research appears promising.